The MoPac region is putting forth a call for any curlers from clubs located within the MoPac region who wish to be considered as a candidate for the consolidated position of USA Curling Director for the West Coast. This position takes the place of the former USA Curling Director from the MoPac region. In the past the MoPac region had elected a member from within the MoPac region to serve as a Director on the USA Curling Board. Last year USA Curling changed its bylaws to merge that Director position into a larger area representative which would also include the Washington and Alaska’s regions beginning in June 2021. The candidate will not necessarily become the USA Curling Director but may be put forward as the region’s candidate. Interested inquiries may be directed to secretary@mopacca.org no later than December 8, 2020.
This year our world has dealt with a crisis not seen in 100 years. Our routines have been substantially altered as a result and many events have been suspended or canceled. As you have seen, Covid-19 continues to take a toll, creating hotspots and requiring renewed shutdowns and uncertain reopenings. While news of a vaccine is promising, the reality is that risks exist and balancing the opportunity for the MoPac region to submit teams to national competitions must be weighed against concerns for the safety of every MoPac curler and their family. With these concerns in mind, the MoPac Board of Directors have made the never-before decision to cancel playdowns for the 2020-2021 season. Further, the Board also made the difficult decision to not submit MoPac teams to attend the U18 Nationals Championships, the Club National Championships and the Mixed National Championships for the 2020-2021 season. The Board expects to resume playdowns and submit teams in the 2021-2022 season.
This year the USCA Members Assembly Meeting is being publicly streamed on the USCA YouTube channel on Saturday, November 14 at Noon (EST)/9:00am (PST). In past years, this annual meeting has been held in-person and typically includes presentations to the USCA Board of Directors’ on a variety of issues as well as votes by the full Board on numerous proposals. This year the USCA will take up consideration of approving permanent club status for a number of new clubs across the country. Also on the agenda is a revision to the USCA bylaws on the definition of Members, removal of General Committees and inclusion of the Council of Presidents. If any Club in the MoPac region would like more information, please feel free to reach out to the USCA Board Director from the MoPac Region, or contact the MoPac President.
In an attempt to assist the MoPac region’s clubs and curlers during these difficult times, the MoPac Board of Directors and the MoPac Representative Assembly voted to suspend the region’s fees for the 2020-2021 season. The MoPac regional fee is $5 per curler.
We need your help! Fall, the traditional start to the curling season, will soon arrive. We have a short (6 question) survey for all curlers who play within the MoPac region. The information will help guide our Board as we plan for the upcoming curling season. Please consider taking the survey. Thank you!
Congratulations to the winners and runners up! Thanks to everyone who participated in our first-ever E-Spiel! There were lots of fantastic online curling skills on display! We hope curlers enjoyed their games and their chance to ‘curl’ against others in the region.
Winners: & Runners up
A Bracket – Winner: Ryan Smith; Runner up: Jeff Salmans
B Bracket- Winner: Billy Wicks; Runner up: Scott Michelsen
C Bracket: Winner: Larry Sidney; Runner up: Katie Feldman
D Bracket: Winner: Ben Yoong; Runner up: Ryan Olson
MoPac Representatives will be able to vote for several key MoPac Board positions in late May. The positions up for election are the roles of President, Treasurer and two At-Large Representatives. Descriptions of the positions are found in the MoPac bylaws. Anyone interested in running for a position, please contact: mopacca.secretary@gmail.com.
Please take a moment to review our COVID -19 page for quick links to the CDC Advisory pages, the USA Curling’s statement and resources, and Federal grant articles.
The beehive. The state emblem of Utah symbolizes the state motto of industry. What could be more perfect for the work and dedication it takes to put on a bonspiel. Curlers from the Utah Olympic Oval are industriously planning for their first ever bonspiel, aptly known as The Hive. “We are excited to get this going,” says Bonspiel Committee organizer, Travis Hair. “We hope that this will grow in the future.” This inaugural year the event may be an intimate 16 team event but the Committee hopes to reach 32 teams in the future.
The four game guarantee also includes Saturday lunch and banquet. “We got special approval from the Rink to have a bar set up too. That is unusual for Utah.” The six sheet facility also boasts the use of the stones from the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The handles were replaced but they are the same stones. Curlers will be able to play using the same stones used by famed curlers Kevin Martin, Pul Trulsen, Torger Nergard, Rhona Martin, Debbie McCormack, and Ann Swisshelm to name a few.
Cosmic Curling
But how is this spiel different than others? “We plan to have a mini Cosmic curling spiel on Saturday night.” Cosmic curling? Picture this: the lights go dark, the rings are illuminated in psychedelic colors and you shoot a stone lite with a glow in the dark light. “It’s harder than it looks because you don’t see the lines” says Travis, adding, “anyone who registers for the bonspiel is automatically signed up for the mini spiel. We want everyone to try it.” There is no separate registration fee for those playing in The Hive. The mini spiel will be a two end event with the winner getting bragging rights to, well, cosmic curling glory. And it appears there will be teams throughout the US coming to The Hive and vieing for cosmic curling greatness. Teams from Minnesota, Georgia, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Idaho and California are expected to attend. If you want to grab your spot, registration links are found on The Hive’s Facebook page. See you at the Oval!
Bonspiels are a time of coming together with curling friends, sharing games, broomstacking and making memories. The December 7th weekend event at Coyotes Curling Club was such a bonspiel, but it was also an opportunity to fundraise for San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club’s dedicated ice project. The event brought in 16 teams from Coyotes and Bay Area but also from Las Vegas CC, Hollywood CC, Orange County CC, Denver CC, Silicon Valley CC and Wine Country CC. The funds raised made an inroad into the project funding and helped make it possible for construction to continue into the planned Oakland, California facility. “We are all so appreciative,” says Kimberly Chapin, event coordinator for SFBACC. “We would not have done anything differently.”
Calizona Dreamin’ came about due to the suggestion and enthusiasm of Coyotes member Wesley (Wes) Seeger. Wes, formerly of SFBACC, asked Coyotes CC Board to consider providing the ice time, and they immediately agreed. Not only did the Club provide the ice for the two-day event but they also provided Coyotes CC volunteers, bartenders, and an ice crew for the weekend. The Saturday banquet was also catered by Coyotes CC member and Club Nationals 2019 winning skip, Mike Siggins, whose restaurant Pasta Brioni got praises for the dinner. Such a generous contribution to SFBACC’s cause is a noteworthy example of a club helping another sister club. While the event was a fundraiser, it also renewed the spirits of those who have worked so long to make Bay Area dedicated ice a reality. “Our members have really missed being on the ice together, and this was just what was needed,” commented Chapin. “It was also beneficial to see what it takes to operate a facility.”
The SFBACC bonspiel committee wanted to offer a unique format and decided on a skins spiel. Four pools of four teams played three 6-end skins games on Saturday. The two teams with the most skins from each pool then advanced to the playoffs on Sunday. In all games, teams were awarded with cash for each skin won. And due to the number of teams most players only had one draw off the ice before going back on. The alternate draws gave teams a chance to stay at the rink and catch up with friends or try an ‘international’ tequila tasting event, with special guest pourer Adriana Camarena, skip of Team Mexico’s women’s team. On Sunday the Hot Shots event gave curlers a chance to keep curling on Sunday and try their skills. Players consistently remarked about how fun it was to play a different format, so SFBACC is definitely planning to offer a skins spiel!
Thanks to generous donations from SFBACC and CCC members, the bonspiel also hosted a silent auction and raffle. Using the online auction app Bidr also helped elevate the number of silent auction bids. Available were two brooms signed by the 2014 Olympic teams, a hat autographed by the Jennifer Jones 2018 Scotties rink, fit bits, a bottle of Don Pilar Tequila, a Matt Hamilton Bobblehead, green fees at an exclusive golf course and several pieces of original artwork. SFBACC happily met its fundraising goals after a successful weekend. “Our spirits were lifted by everyone’s generosity and spirit of curling,” observed Chapin. Their dedicated ice project is back on track, thanks in part to the CCC, as well as so many others in the curling community. Look for exciting news in February 2020. In thee meantime, the Club continues to fundraise and will accept additional donations through the website at http://www.dedicatedice.com/donate/ Once their facility is opened, SFBACC leadership plan to pay it forward. “We know what it takes now. We can help others in the future.” The spirit of curling lives on!
